The San Francisco 49ers didn't come up with the win on Sunday afternoon, but the team went toe-to-toe with the playoff-bound Chicago Bears and had a chance to pull off an upset victory at the end.
While fans are focused on landing a top pick in next year's draft, 49ers coaches and players have been looking to end the 2018 season on a strong note and build momentum heading into the offseason. That's what happened last year after Jimmy Garoppolo took over at quarterback and led the team to five consecutive victories to end the season.
San Francisco entered the 2018 season backed by a lot of hype. Of course, injuries derailed that momentum and the 49ers have just four wins in what has been a disappointing year for the team and its fans. Players, however, know they are playing improved football in December and hope that, along with a good offseason, is enough to build upon for next year.
"When I just look around this locker room, I see a lot of guys that are talented, and guys that got injured this year and the people that are coming back next year," veteran tackle Joe Staley said after Sunday's game. "Our whole offensive line will be coming back, hopefully. We have to see what we are going to do with (Mike) Person but hopefully, our line comes back and we have another year of development on the roster. So I am excited about the future."
Staley isn't the only one who is optimistic as the 49ers prepare to close out the 2018 season with a Week 17 road game against the Los Angeles Rams.
"It is definitely exciting seeing the guys fight like this towards the end of the season and going into next year for sure," defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said. "We are going to have a lot of momentum."
Buckner is right. This young 49ers squad has shown a lot of fight during these December games. It knocked off a Denver Broncos team which, at the time, had playoff aspirations. It followed that up with an overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks, which snapped a 10-game losing streak against the division rivals. The veterans have taken notice of the fight in the younger players.
"I am just proud of all of these guys," Buckner continued. "The fight that they have from start to finish, it doesn't matter. It's said we don't have anything to fight for, but we play for each other. It doesn't matter what the record is, everyone goes out there and gives it their all."
Chicago will be rooting for San Francisco this weekend. The Bears need a 49ers victory over the Rams to clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a playoff bye. They nearly handed San Francisco its third consecutive victory on Sunday, though.
"You see a group of guys out there that -- we don't care that the Bears are a playoff team, that we're 4-10 coming into the game," tight end George Kittle said. "We're going to do everything we can to win every single game we play in.
"You've got to love that 12-, 13-year vet in Joe Staley out there, playing his butt off every single game. You've got rookies out there. You've got second-year guys. Everyone is just playing as hard as they possibly can. We're missing a lot of guys, and there's a lot of guys stepping up. You've just got to respect it."
Staley, who has committed to playing at least one more season, believes the 49ers are in the right hands with the current coaching staff and front office. He is under contract through the 2019 season.
"I think everybody feels what we are building here is going to be special," Staley said. "I think a lot of guys believe in what we are doing in the front office. We love coming into work every single day. We are really going to give our best effort and going down the stretch.
"I think we surprised the Seahawks that way last week, and I think they thought we were going to be whatever. I think that we did that same thing [to the Bears]. A lot of guys after the game came up to me and said, 'You guys made that hard for us.'"